COLUMBUS – Officials with the state auditor’s office were at the Franklin County sheriff’s office Thursday investigating allegations of irregularities in the money seized from drug dealers and other criminals.
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Auditor spokesman Dominic Binkley said Thursday that a complaint about the sheriff’s office prompted the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said the auditor notified it that the auditor is looking into “a concern regarding the funding of the FCSO Investigations Division,” a sheriff’s release said.
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the Auditor to openly address this, and will continue to fully cooperate during their inquiry. Sheriff Baldwin stressed the importance of an open process, “As soon as I was made aware of this issue, I notified the Auditor that my office would work openly to ensure transparency throughout this process.” As this is an open inquiry, we cannot comment any further at this time. –Statement from Franklin Co. Sheriff Dallas Baldwin
That unit includes the undercover drug unit, which often seizes money and other assets that are used by the sheriff’s office to help fight crime.
The auditor’s office said the sheriff is not the subject of the investigation.
Neither the sheriff’s office nor Auditor Dave Yost would comment further.